Ukulele



Nov. 20,1928. 1,692,207

2 H.' E. HALL UKULELE Filed Dec. 21, 1925 Emil Ilium} Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED, STATES HARRY E. HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UKULELE.

Application filed December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,589. I

My invention relates to stringed musical instruments, and more specifically to improvements in the manufacture of the same.

Among the objects and advantges of my invention may be enumerated First, the'simplification of the problem of manufacturing the neck and finger plate. I accomplish this to such an extent that instruments of better tone quality than heretofore can be produced at a given price, not necessarily as a direct result of the tone qualities of the finger plate itself, as by reason of the great saving in price in the construction of the finger board, which makes it possible to put a better sound box in the instrument without increasing the total cost.

Second, the provision of a sheet metal finger plate that will not rattle, and that need not be shaped exactly to fit the neck.

Third, the provision of a main neck portion of very simple shape without notches, grooves or rabbets, and 7 Fourth, the provision of simple fastening means, such that the finger plate can be removed and replaced in case of corrosion or accidental injury, and

Fifth, a method of forming a flush finished joint along the edge of the finger.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a plan view of a ukulele according to the invention,

Figures 2,3 and 4 are sections on lines 22, 33, and 44 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 3 of a modified construction.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration, the ukulele comprises the usual sound box 10 apertured at 12 and carrying the bridge 14, and the neck proper 16 terminating in the usual head 18. The foregoing parts are old and well known in the art, and per se, constitute no part of the present invention. 7

The finger plate 20 is a single piece of sheet metal with all the irregularities of shape necessary to form the parts hereinafter referred to, stamped in the manufacturing process. The plate is provided with frets 22 performing the usual functions, and terminates at its side in downwardly extending flanges 24. These abut the upper flat surface of the neck 16 so as to secure a flat side surface at the joint at 26 without the necessity of notching or grooving the neck 16, which would involve an additional operation and correspondingly greater expense. To form the joint the neck is first made a trifle wider than the finger plate and after assembly the EIIKCGSS indicatedat 25 is dressed off with a At the head end I form a downwardly opening channel 28, the bight of which is notched at 30 for the guidance of the strings. The other end of the plate projects over the box 10 as at 32 and is preferably cut in a plurality of curves at 3 1 to present an attractive appearance. The flanges 24 preferably extend around the end as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

At the head and between the nut and the first fret is a fastening screw 36 with its upper end flush with the adjacent surface of the plate. Two similar screws 38 at opposite corners near the other end of the plate complete the fastening means. It will be apparent that if the plate should be accidentally dented, or corroded by exposure to the elements, the removal of the late and its replacement would be a very simple matter. I prefer to reinforce and support the central portions of the plate, where the pressure of the operators fingers is apt to be heaviest, by a plurality of pockets 40 stamped down with their bottoms in firm contact with the neck 16. The walls of these pockets are shouldered at 41 to support an insert 42. These inserts function as position marks to guide the operator in playing the instrument.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, I provide a stiff spring 14 encircling each fastening screw 36 and pressing the plate against the screw. If necessary to obtain the proper resilience, a countersink 46 may be provided to house a portion of the spring.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service, without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelt involved, which items are intended to be d efined and secured to me by the following claims:

I claim: I

1. A stringed musical instrument comprising a wooden sound box and a wooden neck having a fiat top, a sheet metal finger plateoverlying said neck, the body of said plate being spaced from said neck, the edges of said plate being turned down into abutment with the top of said neck, said plate having-integral frets stamped therein, a fastening element passing through the body of said'plate between said frets for holding said plate in place, the upper end of said element terminating flush with the upper surface of said plate, a plurality of pockets on the center line of said plate between frets, the bottoms of said pockets abutting the upper surface of said neck, and fillings in said pockets serving as position marks, one end of said plate extending out over said box and being cut off at an angle with the long side remote from the player, and the other end terminating in anut in the form of a transverse downwardly opening channel with notches stamped in the bight thereof.

2. A stringed musical instrument comprising a Wooden sound box and a Wooden neck, and a sheet metal finger plate overlying said neck, the body of said plate being spaced from said neck, the edges of said plate being turned down into abutment with the top of said neck, said plate having a plurality of pockets on the center line of said plate between frets, the bottoms of said pockets abutting the upper surface of said neck.

3. A stringed musical instrument comprising a sounding body-and a neck, a sheet metal finger plate on said neck, said plate having integral frets stamped therein, and a plurality of pockets on the center line of said plate between frets, serving as position marks In witness'whereof, I hereunto subscribe my'name this2nd day of December, 19:25. 

